A Gift of Life
by Han-sama
Summary: Ruki is diagnosed with leukemia and in the hospital he meets a girl that helps to turn his world around, but when his leukemia gets worst, what will happen to everything? the GazetttE - RukixOC


_To our dear fans,_

_This may be a shock to you, as it is to me, but due to some health problems, Gazetto s movements will be on pause._

_Ruki_

* * *

Ruki sighed. Since he had posted the note on their website, thousands of fans had been sending each member mails asking _'why?'_ and _'is everyone okay?'_. None of the fans really knew what was going on; he was suppose to tell them, but he didn't find that he had enough strength to tell the whole world that he might only have left months to live.

Just earlier that week, he was submitted into the hospital and diagnosed with leukemia. Though the percentage is still low, if the doctors can't find a person whose white blood cells are compatible with his, then the surgery won't be as successful. He still has a limited amount of time before the leukemia affects everything and destroys his world.

Weeks passed and the hospital has yet to find a donor to help him in his current situation. Ruki knotted his hands into his hair, frustrated about the current situation.

"Getting frustrated won't help."

Ruki glared at his visitor then sighed. "I know it doesn't, but what else can I do, Kai?"

"Eat better, that's for sure." he said as he placed a plate of cut apples on his lap.

Ruki stared at the plate of apples cut into bunnies then blankly stared at Kai. "Bunnies?"

Kai smiled. "Why not?"

Ruki slightly smiled and bit into one. "Reminds me of how kaa-san use to cut it."

* * *

"Aiko-chan, are you feeling any better?" asked the nurse as she help her patient sit up.

"Yes, I am." she smiled. "And you, Kuroki-san?"

The nurse, Kuroki, laughed. "Don't worry about me, honey. Let's worry more about you."

"Kuroki-san... may I roll around the hospital today?"

"Umm... sure, why not? You'd been locked up in this room ever since you woke up, so you should be able to get out once in a while, eh?"

Aiko smiled. "Yes!"

Kuroki gently placed her into a wheelchair and rolled her out to the hospital's private garden. "Here, I'll come back to get you in a hour, okay?"

Aiko nodded and rolled herself around the garden. Following the stone path, she saw a young man sitting in a wheelchair just looking at the sky. Curious, she rolled up to him. As she got closer to him, she can feel her cheeks darkening by the second. The young man didn't look any older than twenty; his pale skin made him seem as if he as was the iStatue of David/i and his short blonde hair glistened in the sun like a golden thread.

The man turned to her when she was within a meter. His dark brown eyes meet her and she felt her breath was stolen from her. She moved her head, breaking the contact and continued to roll up to him.

"The garden is more enjoyable when there's company." she said.

"I wouldn't know." he replied.

She looked at him, his expression seemed depressing and at that moment, she made it her goal to cheer him up. "My name's Suzuki Aiko. What's yours?"

"Matsumoto Takanori."

"Matsumoto-san, it's nice to meet you." she said as she held out her hand. He looked at it, but didn't make a movement to take it. Sad, she pulled back her hand. "So... what are you here for?"

"I'm... sick." he answered.

"Isn't that the main reason for someone to be here?" she asked, but instead of answering, he replied to her with a question.

"What about you?"

She looked at him with a sad smile. "I was in a car with my friend driving and we were in an accident; I was left in a coma while she died."

"I'm sorry...."

"It's not your fault, you shouldn't be apologizing."

For a while, both of them were quiet, but it wasn't an awkward silence; instead, it was a peaceful silence for the both of them.

* * *

For the following two months, she had been around him in the garden and a few times in his room. She meet his friends and even learned that he is in a band that's quite famous, but it didn't change anything. One day, she asked the nurse to bring her to his room, but Kuroki declined.

"Why not?"

"His leukemia has gotten worst; it's best not to see him right now."

She sank back down into the bed. "He has leukemia...? He never told me this!"

"I guess he didn't want you to worry about him."

"Has the doctors found a donor to help him?"

"Not yet and time's running out. Once it's over sixty percent, there's no way to save him." she answered then left the room.

Aiko just sat there staring at her hands. She was in complete shock, during the two months that she had known him, he has never told her the reason why he was in the hospital; every time that she has asked, he just kept changing the topic.

She thought back when her father had leukemia and how her mother grieved over his death. She felt tears brimmed in her eyes at the thought of losing him to the same battle.

She wiped away the tears and buzzed Kuroki.

* * *

"Well, Matsumoto-san, we finally found someone whose white blood cells are compatible with yours and we're really to take you into surgery." said the surgeon.

Ruki weakly nodded and his closed his heavy eyelids.

His band mates were sitting outside the operating room praying that the surgery would be a success. Minutes turned to hours and finally the light on top of the operating room switched off. The guys stood up as the surgeon exited the room.

"How was it?" asked Uruha.

"It was a success. He'll be fine after he wakes up." said the surgeon with a smile.

They smiled and was glad to their vocals will be okay. They went into his room and sat around, waiting for him to wake up.

Ruki heard hushed tones around him and slowly opened his eyelids.

"Welcome back!" said Aoi with a grin.

"It was a success?" asked Ruki groggily.

Reita nodded. "It went smoothly; you're fine now."

"Oh! I see you're awake." said a nurse as she came into the room.

"Kuroki-san...?"

Kuroki smiled. "Yup! Aiko-chan has been released already, so I'm going to take care of you."

"Aiko went home already...?" he sadly said.

"Mhm, she's all better to go back home with her kaa-san." she said.

"I see...."

His band mates could tell that he was sad not able to see her for the last time before she left. Since he saw her in the garden that day, she had kept him happy during his stay here. She allowed him to feel something he had never felt before and now that she was gone, he felt as if a part of him was missing.

"You know, Aiko-chan is such a sweet child."

"I know she is."

"Yeah, but you don't know that the reason you are still alive is that she donated her bone marrow to you."

Ruki looked at her, surprised. "She... did it...?"

Kuroki nodded. "She told me that she wanted to leave you the _'gift of life'_. She must really care about you."

* * *

It's been a month since Aiko got out of the hospital. She had heard weeks before that his surgery went well, but she was too afraid to go visit him. When she finally got the courage to, he was already gone.

That month, she couldn't help but feel that she was missing something, something important. But, she just neglected it and did work to keep herself busy.

"Aiko, would you mind going to the store to buy some daikon? We don't have anymore." asked kaa-san.

"I'll go." she answered as she put on her jacket. She opened the door and she saw him. "Takanori."

Ruki slightly smiled."May I come in?"

"Anou... I'm going out to buy some daikon... would you like to accompany me?"

"I would like to."

The walk was completely quiet. Both of them savored being close to each other again, like in the hospital.

Ruki finally broke the silence. "Aiko... thank you."

"I don't know what you're thanking me for." she said as she turned her head to hide her blushing cheeks.

"You give me the bone marrow needed for my operation. It's thanks to you that I m alive."

"I just wanted to give you a parting gift." she said with a smile.

Ruki stopped walking and grabbed her hand. She looked at him and he was looking at her with a look that she had never saw before. He slowly raised his right hand and gently stroke her cheek. She can feel her cheeks getting hotter as he continued to look at her with a loving expression. His face slowly moved closer to hers and when she felt his hot breathe on her lips, her eyes automatically closed. The kiss itself was sweet, yet it held so much passion to it. She immediately kissed him back and it was about to turn into more.

"You kids! Go get a room!" yelled an old man.

They broke the kiss and apologize to the man, walking away hand-in-hand.

"Aiko?"

"Um?"

"I like you."

She smiled. "I like you too."


End file.
